


Outside of my flat

by Smooth_cuddles



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Angst, Bakery, Café, Company, Eleanor receptionist, Fluff, Gay Sex, Harry´s mom is sweet, Hurt/Comfort, Lonely Harry, Louis cuddles Harry a lot, M/M, Panic Attacks, Parrot Philip, Shy Harry, Slight Panic Attack, Smut, Sweet Louis, bussiness, but stressed, eventually loaaads of smut, looaads of fluff, president louis
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-01
Updated: 2015-08-21
Packaged: 2018-04-12 11:25:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4477490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Smooth_cuddles/pseuds/Smooth_cuddles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Someone curses next to him, making his way in front of Harry while shaking his head, clearly annoyed. Harry watches him for a moment when he realizes that he was the one who annoyed this person. Clearly daydreaming instead of ordering his tea. Embarassed he looks down, grabbing the bag, where he has his old jeans, with both of his hands. Trying and failing to make his heart slow down a little.<br/>„Next please!“ he hears.</p>
<p>-- Harry is shy lonely guy, working in the bakery, trying to find someone to talk to in the world. Louis is a business man, who knows what exactly Harry needs. (I tried, and failed, very hard to make it not sound like a cliche.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Helloo everyone, here I am again.
> 
> I felt really inspired one evening so I thought that I´ll start another story while hoping that I´ll finish the next one sometime. I don´t feel it right now, sorryyy.
> 
> Thank you for giving me another chance with this one,  
> enjoy!

He looks at himself again in the mirror. Smiling and counting coins for third time. Finally... finally he can afford these jeans. He worked so hard in the bakery, flashing extra smiles everywhere as he wished for more tips. Harry folds them neatly on the chair and picks up his old jeans from the floor, tugging them up. As soon as he pays for them he rushes to nearest public toilets so he can put them on.

He smiles at himself in the mirror as he washes his hands, satisfied with his purchase. Maybe today... maybe If he keeps his chin up and looks into peoples eyes maybe something special happens. He feels so much more confident today. He makes his way out of the toilets and smiles at the first person, who happens to be some older man. He doesn´t smile back, but Harry feels good anyway. He goes down the staircase of the shopping centre, intending to buy himself green tea in local cafe. He saw a lot of couples there, maybe there will be someone friendly enough. Maybe he can have a small chat with a cashier. He would let them keep the change. He knows how hard it is to stand and work all day. Emily was that nice that she covered for him today, she is only one who knows about the jeans. Very lovely lady. He lets her pinch his bum for keeping his secret.

Cafe is packed, there are two small tables left as most of the customers order take-aways. He finds few last pounds for the tea and looking around, while he stands in the queue. There are two older ladies chatting about something in the corner, next to them is a young couple sharing chocolate sundae. Harry smiles, feeling the warm spreading over his body. He looks on the ceiling, loving the old fashioned lights and wooden interior. It all feels very cosy.

Someone curses next to him, making his way in front of Harry while shaking his head, clearly annoyed. Harry watches him for a moment when he realizes that he was the one who annoyed this person. Clearly daydreaming instead of ordering his tea. Embarassed he looks down, grabbing the bag, where he has his old jeans, with both of his hands. Trying and failing to make his heart slow down a little.

„Next please!“ he hears.

He quickly proceeds forward, trembling, nervous hand pointing to green tea as he asks politely for two sugars. „How.. how are you today?“ he makes himself ask young barista. She can be around her twenties, small petite girl with big doe eyes. She must have nice boyfriend. Harry hopes that he treats her well.

„Okay, you?“ she asks almost robotically, not waiting for the answer as she makes quick turns all around the place, in one swift movement grabbing sugars and steaming cup of tea. Harry answers Great anyway, trying to grab his tea without spilling it as she once again calls Next please.

Harry finds free table, settling down, satisfied with his small talk. He pours his two sugars in the tea and stirs it slowly. When he places his (always) cold hands around the cup he feels really happy. He thinks that he wasn´t this happy in a while. He once again looks around, making stories about people around him in his head. He still hopes that one day someone sits down in front of him, smiling and happy to talk to him. Or maybe some stranger buys him a cake and makes a waitress to bring it over to him, just like he saw once in a movie.

As he sips slowly on his tea, sun starts setting down. Mom will be home soon, he thinks. He wanted to clean the flat so she won´t have to do it. He glances at the empty chair in front of him, then he checks the time on his phone and then finishes his tea. Cleaning neatly after himself, tucking chair back in, he looks around one last time and starts towards the exit of the shopping centre. It´s lovely autumn. Harry would jump into the piles of leaves If he had a rake to clean up after himself, as to not to ruin someone elses work. He makes it to bus stop, looking down on his jeans. He smiles to himself, running his palms over his tights discreetly.

Someone whistles from across the road. Harrys head snaps up quickly with a smile on his lips. Someone´s hitting on him? There is a group of guys laughing madly. One of them making a weird gesture of pushing something past his rounded lips while pressing tongue into the wall of his cheek, everyone around him laughing while watching how Harry would react. Oh...

His smile drops and he looks alarmed around himself, embarassed. His eyes wander back to his jeans, trying to muster up some of his self-confidence back. He feels very lucky when bus stops in front of him and nearly trips when he tries to get in as quickly as possible, beeping his Oyster card and stands in the middleof the bus, his back to those boys. He squezes his eyes shut, only opening them when bus stops on the next stop, then he goes and sits down in a nearly empty bus. It takes him half an hour to get back home and in mean time he makes himself to feel okay again. He doesn´t want to let someone so vulgar ruin his day.

He is breathless when he finally makes it to his flat, where he lives with his mom and a parakeet with a broken wing, Philip. He thinks that Philip will like his new jeans. He lifts the door handle a little so the door would open while unlocking them.

„I am home“ he says quietly. It´s nearly 7 pm so he has to hurry. He puts his things neatly in his room by the front door and goes through short corridor to the kitchen. He washes dishes, putting them carefully on a pile and goes to sweep all the surfaces. Mom will appreciate it, he knows.

 When he is satisfied with his work he goes to feed Philip. Philip is in his room, because his mom didn´t want a parrot in a first place. Harry liked him very much though, so she gave him to Harry for his birthday, but just If he feeds him himself. Harry agreed.

Even though Harry likes him, and he tells him so every day, Philip doesn´t like Harry as much. Everytime Harry tries to pet him, to make him believe that Harry wouldn´t ever hurt him, Philip nips at his finger so hard every time, that it bleeds. So he just gave up, thinking that Philip just doesn´t like cuddles, which is weird and he tells him so, every day.

When he puts in his cage fresh water and food he goes for his food. He had some cereal for breakfast and some bread for lunch. Maybe he can have that leftover lasagna that mom doesn´t like. When he finished, belly full of warm food, he lies down and happily picks up his book. He finds the last page where he finished off and starts forgetting himself in the story. He likes it very much, because the boy in the story remindes him so much of himself. In the beginning this boy bought himself new pair of jeans and with these jeans he became so confident that he started to travel. Harry wants to be more like him, so he followed the suit.

After a while there were keys rattling in the door.

„Hello!“ his mom called. „Anyone here?“ She smiled at Harry when she entered his room.

„Hii“ Harry smiles back. „ How was your shift?“ he asks even though he knows the answer already.

„Horrible, I think this one was worst so far“ she says and goes into the kitchen to make herself some coffee.

„You say that everytime, why don´t you just find a new job“

„You know I can´t, just a little bit more and they will give me a better position, I am sure... where is rest of that lasagna?“ She calls, already making her way back to Harry´s room.

„I had it for supper? I thought you didn´t like it, there is still some bre-„

„Great, just great“ she closed his door with a loud bang, which made Philip fly around his cage messily. Harry jumped, as he listened to his mom mumbling something, as she always did when she was angry. Never leaving her anything good to eat. Harry knows she had a long day, he understands. But there is stil this pain in his chest mixed with something guilty, when she doesn´t praise him for cleaning the kitchen. There´s a loud shatter with a loud Fuck. Then he hears as she comments on his way of piling dishes.

Instead of feeling hurt he rushes to finish the chapter. Alan, the boy in the book, is always in the similiar position as he is. He is currently in the jungle, feeling alone and too far away from his family, so he makes a new friend, monkey Jack.

There´s an entire page about carrying Jack around and how Jack hugs Alan, mostly for support, but hug none the less. Harry places his book down and looks at Philip. Philip looks at him and from his stare it´s clear, that there won´t be any cuddles taking a place tonight.

 

 

It´s Tuesday so it´s Harry´s turn to open the bakery nad put the bread in the oven to warm up. When he wakes up, his mom is already rushing out of the door. She kisses him on the forehead, telling him that she will be late tonight.

„You have new jeans?“ she stops in between doors as he pulls them on. He won´t wear them to work everyday of course, just to show them to Emily, she deserves that much.

„Yeah, I saved up my tips. Do you like them?“ Harry smiled up, proud that he didn´t spend any money from their household. These are his second pair of jeans as well.

„Harry, we don´t have any money for unnecessary clothes, where did you buy them?“

„In Levi..“

„Levi? Like in the shopping centre? But that´s a brand!“

„I know, but I thought that if I work ex--“

„No Harry, we need every penny, just till I get higher and bring some money home as well. I know it´s hard right now honey, but we just can´t afford it okay?“

Harry nodded and watched as she made her way out. He looked down at his jeans and suddenly felt so selfish, angry for being selfish.

Thing is that he worked really hard. He listens every month to this talk about It will get better, but it never does. He doesn´t need that many clothes, he just wanted something that would make him confident enough. He truly believed that they could change his life.

\--

„Hello, how are you today?“ Harry smiles at his daily customer. He is around his age or maybe younger, cheerful face, blond hair, deifinitely Irish.

„I am pretty great, thanks! Yourself?“ he grins.

„Likewise, so as usual?“ Harry smiles, already grabbing tongs.

„Actually give me some more of those chocolate chip cookies, they are pretty amazing.“ He says as he check them through the glass.

„Really? I bake them myself“ Harry grins, really pleased. He worked so hard on putting right amount of cocoa in there and how to fold butter so the cookie won´t go as hard.

„Sick, could you maybe put it in the box this time? I´ll share with my colleagues.“ He pulls out few bills, never taking the change back and stuffing his wallet on the counter while replacing his phone in his pocket from his hands, so he can grasp the box.

„Thanks man! See ya tomorrow!“ he waves and leaves only when he sees Harry grin back, waving.

„Sneaky, soo what do we have here“ Harry jumps as he hears Emily´s voice next to him. She waves around the wallet, which was apparently left on a counter.

„Oh!“ Harry makes a move to grab it so he can run after the young man.

„No no, he difinitely wants you to come, but this is too early. Don´t follow his plan“ Emily smiles knowingly. „It was getting weird that he comes every day with such a positive attitude, no one can be so smiley in this hour every day.“

„What are you talking about ?“ Harry asks after a second.

„He fancies you, I can tell. Strategically leaving his wallet here, so you´ll have to come after him.“

„Really?“ Harry´s eyes light up. He never thought that this sunshine could fancy someone like him. He has so much charisma. When he thinks about it, he finds him quite cute. Maybe he is too shy to ask Harry out, maybe this is the moment, maybe it´s up to Harry now. He got really excited about that. Emily shook her head though on his puppy eyes. It was Tuesday morning, she can´t handle the bakery one her own. So he waited till 5 pm when he tried his luck again.

Emily shooed him away with a right hand, while counting the money in their little cramped office. Her small glasses on top of her nose as she handed him the wallet with a smile. Harry said quick thank you, pressing a firm kiss into her cheek  as she laughed and pinched his bum.

Harry left his apron on the hook by the door and opened the wallet. He found some bills and a business card, when he went and pulled it out something fell on the floor. A condom. Harry stared at it for a while, gradually blushing. Then he snatched it back, putting it back between the bills and closing a wallet clumsily with a business card in his hand.

„This must be it“ he says as he stares at matching logo of Tomlinson company and the business card. He looks down on himself, there is a small white patch of flour on his black sweater, but he folds it so it´s not that visible. Then his eyes fall down to his jeans and he smiles. Eveything clicks together, this is it. He enters big glass doors, with little green ornaments on it, matching the logo.

„Hello, umm I am looking for.. Niall Horan“ he reads out of the business card.

„Hello of course, do you have an appointment? Your name, sir?“ there is beautiful tall girl, with long brown hair. She looks really nice.

„Um no, I uh.. Mr. Horan left his wallet in our bakery so I thought, that I could return it before he needs it.“ Harry gets out suddenly feeling like this was a bad idea for some reason.

„Oh, I can give it to him then? Wait.. are you from the bakery with those really good chocolate cookies?“ she smiles at him wide expectantly.

Harry beams, his heart racing pleasantly. „Yes, I guess.“ He combs his hand through his hair. Everything looks so modern and polished, even though this girl looks nice enough he is so nervous. He doesn´t belong even with his new jeans. „I kind of hoped I could give it to him myself?“ He asked, hoping the girl would catch on.

She blinked at him and then her smile widened. „Of course, yeah sure! Um, do you want me to call him or you want to wait for him to end his meeting? It should be end in an hour“ she check the big clock on the wall behind her.

„I´ll wait, I´ll wait, thank you.“ Not wanting to cause any trouble.

„Sit just over there, I´ll bring you some magazines and a coffee over“ she winks at him, obviously pleased about something. Harry doesn´t ask for tea, even when he doesn´t drink coffee, just to be polite and not to wipe off her pleasant smile. He sits and she does as she promised.

Harry can burst with nervosity. It was a good plan when he dodn´t have any time to think about it, when he was working, but now sitting here for an hour already... he doesn´t think it was such a good idea after all.

Just when he is about to give the wallet to the receptionist girl with a note with Harry´s name, elevator made a ding noise and few men made their way out of it. Harry´s heart missed a beat when he recognized Niall among them.

„Oh hello!“ he waved at Harry.

„I just came to give you back your wallet. You left it in the bakery“ Harry said quickly without saying hi.

„Of course he did“ someone said with a laugh behind Niall, patting his back. Are they mocking him? Did he really left it there on purpose? That gave Harry  boost.

„Thanks man that´s really sweet of you !“ Niall shrugged off his collegues hand and grabbed a wallet from Harry with a kind smile.

Harry smiled back and looked at his jeans. „I thought, that maybe..“ he looked back at Niall, ignoring talking men behind Nialls back. „We could go out sometime?“ he got out realtively smoothly and he was so pleased about it that he even gave a nervous smile.

„Yeah sure man! We were just about to go for a pint, wanna join us?“ he cheered. „The more the merrier yeah?“

Harry gave a nervous glance at all of them, when they stopped chatting and were looking at him now.

„Niall you dumb---!“ he heard the receptionist hiss from behind the table not really finishing as everyone looked at her for change.

„Man I think he asked you out for a date“ someone murmured from behind Niall´s back.

„What? No he--“ Niall looked back at Harry. Harry never felt so small than he does now. He could feel his ears burning up, he forgot how to breathe for last ten seconds desperately trying to unknot the lump in his throat. He is looking at his jeans and wishes for as little attention as he gets every day.

„Oh.. Ohhh“ Niall makes – I see- noise. „ So you.. ohh“ he says again. „I am so sorry, what´s your name?“ Niall says trying to meet Harry´s eyes as he bends down.

„Harry..“

„Harry, I am so sorry, and seriously I am so... fuck I don´t even have words. No bloke ever asked me out.“ Niall tried desperately to make his words work, clearly lost, Harry could tell. „ I am not gay, Harry“ he finishes and Harry cringes.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid !! Of course he´s not gay. You embarassed him in front of his colleagues._

He feels tears prickle at his eyes and he can´t make himself move despite he would love to be anywhere else in the world than here right now. There is this ache in his chest again. Same as when he falls asleep in an empty flat. Same as when they told him that Philip won´t be able to fly, ever. Same when there is an empty chair in front of him everytime he has a tea in cafe in the shopping centre. It squeezes forcefully tears out of his eyes and he panicks, trying to discreetly turn around and wipe them off.

„Are you crying? Shit! I am sorry man, shit ..“ Niall looks around him for help while squeezing Harry shoulder.

„Move you idiot, this is like a fucking Madagascar scene I swear“ different voice says and then Harry is enveloped in a hug. His head is forced into someone´s shoulder so nobody sees his eyes and the other hand patting him slowly across his back. Harry´s tears pour down full on now, sniffling quietly not really knowing what to do with himself as he feels embarrassed and frustrated at the same time. He can smell cologne, both hands stroking his body and twirling his hair, making him feel so much more calm. He can hear awww sounds from around him, but he clings onto the gentle Shh sound from the person who holds him together, Harry squeezes his hands between their bodies to cling into this persons suit, keeping him close. The man is a little bit shorter than him, but Harry doesn´t feel that way. He let´s himself be calmed down with gentle hands and nice smell. He wasn´t hugged for many years, this felt far too good to let go, so he didn´t.

This person pulled back a little eventually and Harry´s heart leapt at the movement, as he actually forgot where he is for a minute. He closed his eyes forcefully, not wanting to see anyone. His face was cradled into two warm hands and then he could hear the voice, but couldn´t make up any words. He tried to unclasp his hands, but knew that If he did so, this person would leave.

„Hey love, there you are“

He heard finally a murmur when he opened his eyes a little to look down into eyes he never saw before. Harry didn´t feel any reason to panic though, he never felt so safe after all. There were fingers running across his cheeks, trying to catch last set of tears and a sleeve wiping off his nose.

„Are you alright Harry? I seriously didn´t mean to“ he heard Niall´s voice and when he looked up past the longer and messy hair he saw everyone looking at him once again. Harry nods even though he could feel another wave of tears welling up behind his eyes, this time out of humiliation, and squeezes his hands around already crumpled suit.

„Yeah, I am sorry“ he nods again and again. „ I am sorry“ he apologizes to his rescuer, who only shakes his head with a kind crooked smile,  and finally lets his hands fall and squeezes them together instead. „I shouldn´t have assume.. „ he looks up to Niall „Just Emily said.. „ he point behind his back and then realised that he was rambling. He didn´t want to get embarassed more than he already was. „I am going to.. It was.. lovely to .. meet you.. I“ he stepped back, his eyes looking from Niall to the man still in front of him, back to Niall and finally to sympathizing receptionist.

„No no no, none of that. You are still coming with us, everything on me tonight!“ Niall raised his voice and pulling Harry into a brief hug before guiding him out with a hand around his shoulders. Harry didn´t even have time to protest.

 


	2. President

Harry was literally dragged all the way to pub, suddenly highly aware what happened in last 20 minutes so he couldn´t look up and meet anyone´s eyes.  Niall´s arm was still draped around his shoulders, so he was walking beside him little bit hunched, which was convenient as he could watch his jeans and concentrate on walking. He hoped that his rescuer isn´t anywhere near him or even better, went home. He was sat on the stool by the bar and a beer was placed in front of him.

“Cheers mate” his head snapped up as he heard Niall´s voice and quickly grabbed his glass and mumbled his own cheer, hearing voices saying cheer behind him, but he didn´t dare to turn and say hi yet.

“Hey… don´t be like that. If I was gay, I would totally do you” Niall places his hand on his shoulder reassuringly. Harry believes that it is compliment, but he cringes at the memory of being stared at back in that glass building. Harry is sure that he embarrassed himself and Niall and when he thinks about it, he probably made his rescuer to do embarrassing thing too. All in all, it was really embarrassing.

“Uh.. thank you. I.. I didn´t mean to be… I didn´t mean to make uncomfortable or anything.” He finally got out and looked at Niall through his eyelashes forcing out a small smile.

 Niall stopped with his glass touching his lips as he stared at the way Harry blinked at him. Then there was hand pushing his beer up, so it splashed all over Niall´s face. He started coughing as the same hand reached around Harry for a straw. Niall´s curses and grabs handful of napkins from the bar.

“You´ll turn gay If you stare at him any longer, Niall” there it is. The voice. That cologne. Harry follows the hand with his eyes all the way to his rescuer face. Now, when his eyes are clean of tears he can actually see what he looks like and immediately wishing he couldn´t. The man was wearing a suit and with his scruff along his jaw and his messy hair he looked very intimidating. That type of guy who he wouldn´t ever speak to. That type of person who he would leave for Emily to serve in a bakery while he makes some kind of dumb excuse. He averts his eyes quickly and sips on his own beer as he slowly turns around.

“Hey… Harry.” Harry freezes and snaps his eyes up back to those intimidating ones. This time they look a bit softer, although only his eyes are soft on his face, so he concentrates on them only.

“Yes?”

“I am Louis, nice to meet you.” There is his opened hand in the air and Harry grabs it immediately.

“Lovely to meet you too, Louis.” Harry smiles as he gets out the name. It stretches his mouth all the way up and even further when he sees Louis smiling too.

“Don´t let him eat you, he didn´t have dinner.” Louis pats his shoulder and with a slow drag across Harrys back, he´s gone, joining a table with a cheering people. Harry grins at Niall when he sees him pitifully rubbing his tummy, but smiling at Harry at the same time as if agreeing to Louis´s joke. Front of Niall´s shirt is wet, but it looks like he doesn´t mind, as he drinks the rest of his beer.

Niall is a lovely guy. He works in Tomlinson Company as a trainee, Harry learns that he hates the work, but loves the people, who work there with him, so he doesn´t even think about leaving. He always buys extra cookies, because everyone gives him less work then, or so he says. He really likes Eleanor, the receptionist and his good old friend Liam, who got him the job. Harry really wants to ask about Louis, if he is a trainee too, how old is he, does he like my cookies? But he decides against it as it would come across wrong. Harry feels strange pull towards Louis and he isn´t quite sure if he wants to hug him more or never see him again.

After some time only people that Harry recognizes is Niall, Louis and some other guy that he saw earlier in the glass building. He has the same beer in front of him for two hours, but doesn´t want to finish it up, because for one he doesn´t like, how it tastes and for two, he would sit there empty handed. Niall stands not far away from him, chatting to some people, but Harry can see him glance at Harry from time to time, checking. Harry feels all kinds of nice about it. He made something very close to friendship today and he looks down and pats his jeans discreetly. He still feels a little bit jumpy whenever someone reaches around him and orders a drink. He still has an unpleasant butterfly feeling in his stomach, reminding him that he made an absolute fool out of himself tonight, and this pub definitely doesn´t have a cosy feeling to it as his favourite cafe does so after few more moments he decides to leave.

He feels pair of hands helping him with his coat after successfully standing up from that unsteady bar stool. “Leaving already?”

“Uh, yeah..” he turns around with small thanks and looks at Louis. “Have to be in bakery by five tomorrow morning, so ..” he smiles.

“Got it.” Louis says and reaches around Harry to give few bills to bartender. “Shall we?”

“I´m .. I am sorry?”

“I´ll take you home” Louis says, looking at Niall waving, that they are leaving. Niall came over moment later, while Harry has an internal fight between being polite and decline, risking that Louis won´t insist, or accept and be with Louis alone in his car, which is just as scary. He remains silent as Niall talks “work” to Louis and tries not to show his excitement.

“Don´t be late Horan, tomorrow is an important day.” Louis says as he pats Niall´s shoulder with a smile

“Every day is important when it involves scanning yer goddamn magazines. “ Niall says as he leaves with laughter and good natured pat to Harry´s cheek, which Harry realized later on probably meant bye. He still felt little hurt that Niall didn´t ask for his number. That´s what friends do right? Text each other and call each other and making plans. Harry would finally use his phone properly. Maybe later on, they aren´t that kind of friends yet.

“Where do you live?” Louis asks, as he holds the door of his car open for Harry.

“Ah just few streets up from the bakery, it´s not that far, I can walk, really.” He doesn´t step into the car yet, suddenly feeling silly that he didn´t say so inside, Louis probably wanted to stay with his friends and Harry made him feel bad when he was leaving by himself like a looser.

“Well walk is not such a bad idea, actually.” Louis says as he bangs the door closed.

“Ye.. yeah, I don´t mind really” he already takes few steps back, burying his fidgeting hands in his coat. His chest is full of disappointment, which has to show on his face as well. He catches his bottom lip between his teeth to prevent it from trembling. He never cried so much in one day, he´s just so emotional today. He does not cry yet, but if Louis leaves now, he is pretty sure he will. He hates it.

“Hey, hey.. come here” Louis takes step forward and holds his right hand out. Harry doesn´t know what to do. He really wants to go home now, so he can cry properly, but at the same time, he wants to be in this man’s arms again. He takes Louis´s hand and steps closer. Louis tugs him gently forward until he´s in front of Louis shorter form.

He can feel Louis´s hands grasping his head and forcing him to look at him. Harry doesn´t fight it.

“Why are you crying?” he half- whispers, his voice kind.

Harry doesn´t know.

“I don´t know” he croaks. His brain not working, he feels panic seeping through his skin.

“That´s okay, breathe.” Louis says and Harry does so. He feels gentle fingers putting his hair behind his ear so it doesn´t stick to his face. Harry leans into Louis´s hand and unconsciously takes a baby step closer. Louis envelopes him in a hug once again. His hand pressing Harry´s head into the crook of his neck while scratching at his scalp soothingly.

Harry feels dizzy. Immediately he grabs Louis around his waist and squeezes him gently closer, hiding his face from the world and just breathes. He can smell Louis, he can feel Louis´s breath on his ear as he whispers things like Well done and Good boy and praises him some more. His fingers never stopping scratching him and his hug tightening whenever Harry sniffs.

After some time his mind clears, but he nuzzles further into Louis none the less. He doesn´t want to let go. He doesn´t know when he gets this opportunity again.

“I didn´t want you to leave.” He mumbles.

Louis hums, patting Harry´s hair rather than scratching. “I wasn´t leaving. I was asking if you want me to drive or walk you home.”

“Oh…” Harry feels silly for some reason, but something in Louis´s voice tells him, that Louis doesn´t think he´s silly at all.

“Next time, you´ll tell me what you want, okay? Don´t make assumptions.” Louis tells him next. Harry nods few times.

“Okay.” He pulls back a little bit, wiping his cheeks.

Louis smiles at him, with those kind eyes again. He puts Harry´s hair behind his ears again and squeezes his shoulders.

“So? Do you want me to drive you or walk you home?” Louis asks, looking straight into his eyes.

“Drive, please.” Harry answers immediately, smiling.

“Drive it is, let´s go then.” Louis nods, as if proudly, and opens the door for Harry again, waiting patiently while Harry shuffles inside, folding his long limbs into proper position.

It takes about seven minutes, when they stop in front of Harry´s building. Both of them are quiet. Harry thinks about what happened. Louis made him speak, he didn´t let him run away and even though Harry´s mind is still little bit hazy, he knows that it was the nicest thing that ever happened to him. Louis didn´t scream at him for not speaking, or for crying. He didn´t push him for answers either, like his mom sometimes does when he feels like he is drowning and can´t speak and can´t think and everything he feels is the pain in his chest.

“Looks nice.” He hears Louis.

Harry looks at his building, where Louis is looking too.

“It´s nothing much, really. Um.. thank you. Thank you very much for a drive and for.. for today.”

Louis nods and smiles at him. “No problem at all, Harry.”

Harry fiddles with his seat belt and with quick good night he scrambles out of the car.

“Hey Harry” there is the window opening sound.

“Yes?”

“Here´s my number, if you ever need anything, just call me. Or text me. Whenever really, I don´t sleep much, so.. yeah” Louis reaches over the passenger seat and gives Harry his business card.

Harry takes it as his heart misses a beat. “I .. thank you. I will. Thank you” he hopes, that Louis can feel how grateful Harry is. “Does this mean.. we are.. friends?” he looks up.

Louis laughs and nods. “This means we are friends.”

Harry presses the card to his heart all the way up to his flat. When he opens the door, the flat is dark. Mom is not home. He needs to share his evening with someone, so he talks to Philip that night a lot.

His smile falls and eyes widens when he is saving Louis´s number into his phone.

_Tomlinson Company_

_Louis Tomlinson_

_President_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, thank you, thank you for lovely comments. To be honest I had second chapter written for a long time, but I just wasn´t feeling it, so I had to rewrite it. Hope you enjoyed it!! Hx

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for my grammar! When an idea strikes you, you can´t really be bothered.  
> Let me know what you think!! xx


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